Books!

Even though I am consciously aware of the various items or experiences that most of the people we work with do not have, sometimes I am caught off guard when that realization sinks in on a deeper level as I witness their reaction to a new item or experience. Yesterday Luis was up in my office as I was meticulously labeling every new cleaning item that we had just purchased for the various rooms at the children's home. (Side note: As a naturally detail oriented, structured person, I have had to learn to relax and let things go in this very unstructured, "what's a detail?" culture. However, this has forced me to crave chances to manage details whenever the opportunity presents itself, such as using my Sharpie marker to label brooms, mops, gloves, sponges and bottles of cleaning product for their respective locations. It's healthy to have an outlet for obsessions, isn't it?!)

So, as I was labeling, Luis was exploring my office. I pulled a book off the shelf that had been donated awhile back and handed it to him to read as I worked. The first was an interactive Old McDonald's Farm book. Luis squealed with delight as he showed me the little "chico" that was attached by a string to the book that could walk through the pages with Luis. He laughed at every "special effect" in the book, like the flaps that covered a pool of ducks, the cow that had textured hair to feel and the barn doors that had crinkly material in them. Then it was on to Pooh's book on learning to tell time - you could turn the clock hands on each page as you watch Pooh and Piglet learn about time, and Luis was amazed by this! Fernando's Adventures showed beautiful pictures of a boy in many different places - in a field with animals, under a waterfall, crossing railroad tracks. Luis just oohed and aahed at each picture - it was so energizing to watch him come to life over such simple, taken for granted items like children's books. I realized that he had probably never seen books like this before and I was surprised to realize that, even though I consciously know that in my mind. So the world of reading has just taken an interesting turn for Luis and he can't wait to come up and read again!